Exercise R Us

Question:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Exercise is supposed to be healthy and I’m sure that I need it since I work > 40 hours per week at a desk job. > In fact, I have put on 20 lbs (168-188) in the 2+ years at this job and > really want to get back into shape. > For some time I have wanted to enroll in a regimen of both weight training > and aerobic activity. > After a good session of exercise, I’m soooooooo hyper rather than calm. > The endorphins are flowing and I feel great. Almost too great! > It’s as if the exercise behavior creates a manic situation. Is there a > middle ground? > I want to be healthy but quite frankly, I’d rather chill on the couch as > opposed to having unnecessary energy bursts. > Anyone else experience a similar situation? > It’s rather bizarre since I really need/want a good work-out but the effects > scare me.

Hi Bubba.  I know exactly what you mean – I get this too.   I get a very strong endorphin high from exercise, and it raises my mood.  My first manic episode happened at the end of a year when I got into running & built up my fitness and the miles I did, to the point where I was running c. 30 miles a week.  I had another episode after doing a two-week bike trip one Christmas, and I can think of a couple of hypomanic periods triggered by tramping (hiking) trips. I think it should be possible to stay healthy & fit without hyping up too much.  If you are working your way back from being unfit, you probably want to blitz it & really get back into shape quickly.  But take it easy instead, raise your activity levels gradually and concentrate on the low-level aerobic stuff – which is also the best for burning fat – rather than the high-output exercise that gives you the real endorphin thrills. I’m carrying 10lbs more than I want to at the moment, and having a hard time fitting exercise into my life.  I know that when I get back into exercising regularly, I will want to do the gee-whiz stuff – two-week trips tramping through challenging terrain etc.  But when I do, I am going to be careful not to take any major decisions in the month or so after I get back, because I know I will be a bit high for at least that long. It’s a bit of a challenge running the bipolar body/mind, eh!

Response:

i can so relate bubba….I for one function at my best when im hypomanic….i’m really cooking on all 4 burners if you know what i mean….however, there are times when i get too manicky and my doctor has prescribed Tranzeme 25 mg to take the edge off….it works but i dont care for the side effects of making me tired then…even 25 mg seems to be overkill….as for the exercise….i have a very active workout program consisting of weights and aerobic activity…..it helps me so much…it is the workhorse in my arsenal of weapons to combat depression…i highly recommend it….perhaps you should consult ur pdoc/physician…they might be able to help you come up with a program that works ….best of luck …Dan

Response:

Thanks for  the response. I will look into it. Unfortunately, the "competition" concept was never really a problem. Feeling hyper is what I’d like to avoid. GT

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hello Bubba. > At last, a question that I feel utterly qualified to answer. > I have used physical activity as a means to control my mood states > ever since I was a young boy. > In almost all cases, it has backfired, and only fed the fire, rather than > quenched it. > In the last 4 or so years, I started looking more closely at my emotional > state, and the affect the "sporting activities" were having on me. > What I saw was a cycle of repitition.  I would start something new; and > initially it would be healthy, but it would become "egocentric" or > "externally competitive" in nature and my happiness would be compromised > because you cannot control the external environment, and connot always > meet yours (or others) expectations.  As you achieve, the expectations > keep getting higher until you can’t meet them anymore > -you always end with failure. > I’m not saying this is your situation, but clearly, the affect of the exercise > is having an adverse affect on you mentally, just as it did with me. > My solution was to develop an exercise program based around flexibility > training.  I have to admit, I did martial arts as a teenager, and I always > admired flexibility as a physical attribute.  What I came to discover was > that Yoga like training is very healthy for your body, beyond just stretching. > Even more important, I found it to be healthy for my mind as well. > For the first time, I was in an environment that was not promoting any > sort of competition, but rather, self analysis and control, with a spiritual > edge to it. > After working with a number of yoga and stretching systems, as well as > going back to martial arts (for a while) I realised that for me, the solution > was to find and develop my own path, now that my eyes had been opened > and pointed towards in a new direction. > My exercise regime has been very stable or evolutionary in nature for the > last couple of years, now that my mindset has changed.  I have developed > a routine of stretching and stretch exercises that I do daily, and I pay > special attention to the affect it is having on my mind while I’m doing it. > For everyone it would be different, but I believe what I’m saying will have > some application for you also.  Learn yourself, and then learn to put > together a routine that works for both mind and body.  Yoga based > physical and mental exercise did this for me.  If you go to a gym, > then hopefuly they have a stretching area you can use. > Regarding weights, I actually do them quite regularly, but I always use > them to start my program, and then I end it with my Yoga based routine. > So if the weights leaves you hyper; then stretching can bring you back > down again, and bring your mind back into a harmonious connection > with your body. > I started developing a website with a friend, although I have been very > busy with other things (I’m becoming a Yoga teacher) and so have not > worked on it for a while. > Nevertheless, check out www.stretch.net.nz as I have written some > additional thoughts about stretching based exercise there. > Peace > BendyBruce >Exercise is supposed to be healthy and I’m sure that I need it since I work >40 hours per week at a desk job. >In fact, I have put on 20 lbs (168-188) in the 2+ years at this job and >really want to get back into shape. >For some time I have wanted to enroll in a regimen of both weight training >and aerobic activity. >After a good session of exercise, I’m soooooooo hyper rather than calm. >The endorphins are flowing and I feel great. Almost too great! >It’s as if the exercise behavior creates a manic situation. Is there a >middle ground? >I want to be healthy but quite frankly, I’d rather chill on the couch as >opposed to having unnecessary energy bursts. >Anyone else experience a similar situation? >It’s rather bizarre since I really need/want a good work-out but the effects >scare me. >GT

Response:

Exercise is supposed to be healthy and I’m sure that I need it since I work 40 hours per week at a desk job. In fact, I have put on 20 lbs (168-188) in the 2+ years at this job and really want to get back into shape. For some time I have wanted to enroll in a regimen of both weight training and aerobic activity. After a good session of exercise, I’m soooooooo hyper rather than calm. The endorphins are flowing and I feel great. Almost too great! It’s as if the exercise behavior creates a manic situation. Is there a middle ground? I want to be healthy but quite frankly, I’d rather chill on the couch as opposed to having unnecessary energy bursts. Anyone else experience a similar situation? It’s rather bizarre since I really need/want a good work-out but the effects scare me. GT

Response:

Hello Bubba. At last, a question that I feel utterly qualified to answer. I have used physical activity as a means to control my mood states ever since I was a young boy. In almost all cases, it has backfired, and only fed the fire, rather than quenched it. In the last 4 or so years, I started looking more closely at my emotional state, and the affect the "sporting activities" were having on me. What I saw was a cycle of repitition.  I would start something new; and initially it would be healthy, but it would become "egocentric" or "externally competitive" in nature and my happiness would be compromised because you cannot control the external environment, and connot always meet yours (or others) expectations.  As you achieve, the expectations keep getting higher until you can’t meet them anymore -you always end with failure. I’m not saying this is your situation, but clearly, the affect of the exercise is having an adverse affect on you mentally, just as it did with me. My solution was to develop an exercise program based around flexibility training.  I have to admit, I did martial arts as a teenager, and I always admired flexibility as a physical attribute.  What I came to discover was that Yoga like training is very healthy for your body, beyond just stretching. Even more important, I found it to be healthy for my mind as well. For the first time, I was in an environment that was not promoting any sort of competition, but rather, self analysis and control, with a spiritual edge to it. After working with a number of yoga and stretching systems, as well as going back to martial arts (for a while) I realised that for me, the solution was to find and develop my own path, now that my eyes had been opened and pointed towards in a new direction. My exercise regime has been very stable or evolutionary in nature for the last couple of years, now that my mindset has changed.  I have developed a routine of stretching and stretch exercises that I do daily, and I pay special attention to the affect it is having on my mind while I’m doing it. For everyone it would be different, but I believe what I’m saying will have some application for you also.  Learn yourself, and then learn to put together a routine that works for both mind and body.  Yoga based physical and mental exercise did this for me.  If you go to a gym, then hopefuly they have a stretching area you can use. Regarding weights, I actually do them quite regularly, but I always use them to start my program, and then I end it with my Yoga based routine. So if the weights leaves you hyper; then stretching can bring you back down again, and bring your mind back into a harmonious connection with your body. I started developing a website with a friend, although I have been very busy with other things (I’m becoming a Yoga teacher) and so have not worked on it for a while. Nevertheless, check out www.stretch.net.nz as I have written some additional thoughts about stretching based exercise there. Peace BendyBruce – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >Exercise is supposed to be healthy and I’m sure that I need it since I work >40 hours per week at a desk job. >In fact, I have put on 20 lbs (168-188) in the 2+ years at this job and >really want to get back into shape. >For some time I have wanted to enroll in a regimen of both weight training >and aerobic activity. >After a good session of exercise, I’m soooooooo hyper rather than calm. >The endorphins are flowing and I feel great. Almost too great! >It’s as if the exercise behavior creates a manic situation. Is there a >middle ground? >I want to be healthy but quite frankly, I’d rather chill on the couch as >opposed to having unnecessary energy bursts. >Anyone else experience a similar situation? >It’s rather bizarre since I really need/want a good work-out but the effects >scare me. >GT

Response:

Thanks for all of the replies. At least I know I’m not alone. GT

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Exercise is supposed to be healthy and I’m sure that I need it since I work > 40 hours per week at a desk job. > In fact, I have put on 20 lbs (168-188) in the 2+ years at this job and > really want to get back into shape. > For some time I have wanted to enroll in a regimen of both weight training > and aerobic activity. > After a good session of exercise, I’m soooooooo hyper rather than calm. > The endorphins are flowing and I feel great. Almost too great! > It’s as if the exercise behavior creates a manic situation. Is there a > middle ground? > I want to be healthy but quite frankly, I’d rather chill on the couch as > opposed to having unnecessary energy bursts. > Anyone else experience a similar situation? > It’s rather bizarre since I really need/want a good work-out but the effects > scare me. > GT

Response: